Kontakt X:X | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2026.046

Coping strategies of male informal caregiversSocial Sciences in Health - Original article

Iva Tichá ^* ORCID..., Karel Pavlica ORCID..., Petra Gřesová, Eva Krausová

University of Ostrava, Faculty of Social Studies, Department of Health and Social Studies, Ostrava, Czech Republic

Introduction: The study aims to explore the specific experiences of men involved in informal care in the Czech Republic, with an emphasis on their coping mechanisms when adapting to mental, physical, and social stress.

Methods: A qualitative research design was employed, utilising thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with eight men from the Moravian-Silesian region who assume roles as primary or secondary caregivers to varying degrees of intensity.

Results: The dominant coping strategy among men proved to be rationalisation and instrumentalisation of care, with caregiving redefined as a managerial and logistical task. This approach allows them to maintain their masculine identity and create emotional distance from the demanding situation. The analysis also identified major differences in the experience of stress depending on the caregiver's position; while secondary caregivers perceive caregiving more as external assistance, primary caregivers face extreme exhaustion, social isolation, and risk of burnout. Intimate personal hygiene is a significant barrier for men, especially in the son-mother relationship, which they therefore often delegate to others.

Conclusion: The study highlights the lack of systemic support for this growing group and emphasises the need for support for flexible job arrangements as well as the elimination of gender stereotypes that prevent men from seeking formal assistance.

Keywords: Anaesthesia; Nursing Care; Patient; Unpleasant Experiences

Grants and funding:

The work was supported by the University of Ostrava under the Student Grant Competition project SGS04/FSS/2025: Gender Roles in Sandwich-Generation Families: A Comparison of Men's and Women's Roles.

Conflicts of interest:

We are not aware of any conflict of interest relating to the publication of this article.

Received: January 15, 2026; Revised: May 15, 2026; Accepted: July 7, 2026; Prepublished online: August 11, 2026